Chasing the Sun
by treehilluver23
Summary: With everyone they know gone for the summer, Boo and Charlie find themselves learning more about each other.
1. Summer Begins

**Title:** Chasing the Sun

**Fandom:** Bunheads (TV)

**Pairing/Character(s):** Charlie/Boo

**Rated:** PG-13

**Spoilers: **The simple backstory of the show, however, I have changed a few things and add some facts about the characters to make this story a lot more interesting.

**Summary: **_With everyone they know gone for the summer, Boo and Charlie find themselves learning more about each other._

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**Chapter One | Summer Begins**

_I really hope someone can hear me  
I find the voice within me  
to scream at the top of my lungs  
I just hope I'm not the only one_

**- Emeli Sande, "Hope"**

Paradise in the summer is always beautiful. The sun shone delicately over the small town, and the beach littered with tourist. They'd shuffle in and out of local shops comfortably nestled together with amazement in their eyes because according to them, they'd never seen anything so quaint and beautiful. Boo loved the summer. She loved it when the tourist came because she was able get lost in the crowd. None of these people knew who she was or the struggles she and her family had been through. All they saw was a teenage girl living in the moment, living in the moment of summer. However, this summer, Boo concluded, would be the absolute worst.

Two nights before, Sasha had left for New York to attend a summer program at the Joffrey Ballet. It was one of the premier ballet academies in all of American and Sasha was the only girl from Paradise offered a summer scholarship. Ginny left yesterday morning with Josh's family on a cross-country road trip to Texas to see some play Ginny went on and on about the night before at their "Last Hurrah" sleepover. The only person that would still be around was Melanie, but not for much long because a week from now she would be leaving for her shift as camp counselor at the Paradise overnight summer camp just outside of town. Boo knew there would be no way she'd enjoy summer without them.

"Cheer up, Boo," Melanie offered a friendly smile. She bumped her friend's shoulder with her own, as she tried her hardest to cheer the shorter girl up. "We have an entire week to spend together before I leave."

"I know," Boo sighed. She looked up at her friend and tried her best to return the smile. The two of them where sitting at a booth in the back of the Oyster Bar sharing a plate of fries. "I just don't want to spend the summer alone."

"Well, then go out and make friends," Melanie laughed. She popped a fry in her mouth after she'd dipped it in a bout of spicy mustard mixed with ketchup. "What about Helen Simms from Science? The two of you worked on that project together."

"Helen smelled weird and she always got mad at me for liking Justin Bieber," Boo explained.

"I can't blame her for the Bieber part. I get mad at you for liking him," Melanie said with a shake of her head. She leaned back in her seat and gave Boo her best "Judging You" face.

Boo shrugged sheepishly. "His songs are so catchy."

"Yeah, and so is the flu but you don't see me going around praising it and its Ellen DeGeneres haircut," Melanie laughed, and Boo couldn't help but to join in. This was the thing Boo would miss most about her friends being away, especially Melanie. She was the one person out of all of her friends that could get her to forget about everything else. It also helped that Melanie was willing to put up with Boo when she got like this. The other girls would roll their eyes and tell her to move on, but not Mel. She would sit and listen to Boo for as long as she needed, and when it was all over she'd say something really funny to make Boo smile.

During mid-laugh, Boo looked away from their table, and that's when she spotted him walking through the door with two of his friends. Charlie was Melanie's older brother that she'd been obsessed with since before she could remember. He was tall and lean with hair in between the color of blonde and brown. Melanie knew about her obsession with Charlie, and didn't seem to mind it. She would even encourage her to talk to him, but in typical Boo fashion whenever she tried things went terribly wrong and she ended up making a complete fool out of herself. She just wished that for once, Charlie could see her the way he saw all of the other girls that paraded in and out of his life. She wished that maybe just once, they would be able to have a chance at something special.

"Ow," Boo complained loudly when she felt a swift kick to her shin. Madame Fanny would not appreciate seeing bruises on her legs at ballet tomorrow. She tore her eyes away from Charlie to scold Melanie over what she'd done. "Mel, that hurt! What did you do that for?"

"Your mouth was hanging open?" Melanie said as she continued to eat more fries. "I think there was some droll running down your mouth, too."

Boo wiped rapidly at her mouth just in case Mel was telling the truth. "What's Charlie doing here? I thought he and his friends were leaving for some road trip."

Melanie glanced over her shoulder at her brother, who flipped her off when their eyes connected. Melanie would have returned the favor but an old woman was staring at her. Instead, she smiled and turned back to face Boo. "He was until I told my parents about the joint I found in his room, and now he will be spending the rest of the summer working here."

It took Boo a minute to register what Melanie was saying. "What do you mean working here? I work here! Charlie can't work here! What didn't you tell me?"

Melanie tossed a fry in Boo's direction. "Calm down, Bettina. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd have a massive heart attack, and besides I thought you'd be happy about this."

Boo's Bambi-like eyes transitioned from Charlie to Melanie, before they settled on her friend. She leaned in close, and whispered, "Why in the world would I be happy about this?"

"Because for some reason that is still very strange and unknown to me, you someone how see through my brother's farce and actually thinks he's a contender." The taller girl rolled her eyes, and followed a long with her friend by leaning in close. She shrugged, and sat back upright. "I figured this would be your chance to talk to him. The two of you finally have something in common."


	2. Working BoyGirl

**A/N:** I'm bored in between studying for finals so I decided to update this story since the chapter was halfway written. It has been a while so bare with me. Apparently, my muse really wanted me to finish this chapter.

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**Chapter Two | Working Girl/Boy**

_I quite like the way you smile  
I quite like the way you say my name  
somewhat of a fascination  
how you swirl a conversation_

**-****Sheaielgh, "****Strangely Beautiful"**

"Boo will show you around!" Venice, the Oyster Bar's manager, said cheerfully from across the restaurant. Boo was on the other side setting down two glasses of orange juice in front of an elderly tourist couple. "Boo! Boo, can you come over here when you're done?"

Boo stood up straight, her back suddenly became as stiff as a board. She'd known Charlie would be coming in to start his shift since yesterday because of Melanie, but she'd been so busy with the morning rush of tourist she hadn't had time to mentally prepare herself for what she was going to say when she finally saw him. Boo smiled to the elderly couple, and whished them a pleasant day before she headed over to Venice and Charlie.

"Hi, Charlie," Boo smiled shyly. She mentally scolded herself for being so lame. Charlie cocked an eyebrow at her as greeting and Boo swore she felt her heart stop beating. He wore a grey shirt and jeans, and somehow his bright eyes looked even brighter.

"Oh, good, you two know each other," Venice smiled as she motioned between Boo and Charlie. "Boo, I need for you to show Charlie the ropes. He won't officially start his shift until tomorrow but for today I want him to shadow you and see how everything works."

Boo nodded in understanding with a smile. Charlie, on the other hand, didn't look so happy. "So, you just want me to like, what, watch her all day?"

"We prefer to call it shadowing, but basically yes that is what you will be doing. If you have any questions, just ask Boo. You can go back to work now, Boo. I'll be in my office if you need me," Venice said as she gave them both an encouraging pat on the back before she headed towards the back of the restaurant.

Boo stood nervously in front of Charlie. She did her best to look anywhere but directly in his eyes. She knew that if she did then she'd be lost in them forever. "Aren't you going to get back to work or something?"

Charlie's question snapped Boo out of her haze. She finally looked up at him, her cheeks turning a bright red tint. "Uh, right, you are absolutely right."

The next few hours of Boo's shift ended up being pure torture. Charlie barely looked at her or paid attention to what she did, but just the thought of knowing he was there made her nervous. She'd forget orders and drop plates, things she'd usually never did when Charlie wasn't around. A group of plastic shiny teenage girls came in sometime around the end of her shift and flirted shamelessly with Charlie right in front of her. She spent the rest of her shift feeling like a complete loser as she watched Charlie program the shiny blonds number into his phone. Boo turned her back on them as she finished stacking the cups underneath the counter. At some point, Venice came out of her office to release Charlie from shadowing Boo, and thanked her for being such a good employee. Her heart nearly broke when Charlie said he'd see her tomorrow because Boo knew that being this close to him would cause her to lose her head. Not to mention she'd have to sit through countless rounds of Charlie flirting with girls a million times more prettier than her.

"It was horrible," Boo complained as she flopped down against the soft fabric of Melanie's comforter. She felt her friend lightly pat the back of her head which made her feel slightly better. If she wanted pity from anyone, it would be Melanie.

"I'm sorry, Boo," Melanie offered.

"You should have seen them," Boo said, her voice muffled by the duvet's fabric. She rolled onto her back. "They were fawning all over him like he was a piece of meat."

"Kind of like you do when he isn't looking?" Melanie asked with an amused smile.

Boo tossed a pillow at her. "That's different."

Melanie laughed at her friend. Although she didn't understand Boo's obsession with her brother (whom liked to fart at the dinner table just annoy her) she hated seeing her friend down. And if Boo, for some odd reason, liked Charlie she'd do anything in her power to make it happen. Boo deserved someone that would cherish her, and if she believed that guy could be Charlie, then Melanie was willing to give her friend tips and pointers on how to bag him.

"You just have to try and be cool when he's around," Melanie suggested.

Boo sat up on her elbows and looked over at the taller girl. "Like that is going to happen. Every time I see him, I freeze up like a total idiot."

"Charlie is an idiot," Melanie laughed. A sense of realization hit her faster than a lightning bolt. "Charlie, come here!"

A startled Boo nearly fell off the bed. "You can't call him in here."

"Shut up, I have an idea," Melanie whisper-shouted just as Charlie popped his head in the door. He looked bored and uninterested already.

"What?" he barked. Charlie kept his eyes on his phone the entire time.

"Boo, needs a ride to work. Her mom's hours changed so she can't drop her off in the morning, and since you two work together now you could pick her up," Melanie explained much to Boo's chagrin.

Charlie turned his gaze on Boo. "Why didn't you just ask me?"

Boo sat frozen until Mel kicked her. "I, uh, wasn't sure?"

Charlie rolled his eyes as he chuckled at her. "Fine. Text me in the morning." And with that he left the room.

Once he left, Boo squealed with delight. She jumped up and wrapped her arms around Mel's neck. She couldn't believe it. She and Charlie where going to be riding in the same car together. Maybe this was finally her chance to talk to him, and have him see her in a different light.


End file.
